Editorial: The future of the Illinois GOP

Is the Illinois Republican Party a party of change or a party that protects the status quo? An election on Thursday will help answer that question.

GOP members of the Illinois House are scheduled to meet at a Springfield hotel to choose a new leader of their caucus. They vote at a time when the party borders on irrelevancy. Democrats hold 71 seats in the House. Republicans hold just 47 seats.

House Minority Leader Tom Cross announced this month he will run for state treasurer. He'll remain in the House through his term, but he'll give up the leadership post.

The race to succeed him is focused on two candidates: Rep. Jim Durkin of Western Springs and Rep. Raymond Poe of Springfield.

The House Republican leader sets the tone for the party's agenda. And therein lies the reason this election is so important.

Will the Republicans protect the status quo in this economically hobbled state, this state with the worst public pension crisis in the country, the worst bond rating in the country, the second highest unemployment rate in the country?

They will if they choose Poe.

In recent years, Poe has voted against several signature cost-cutting initiatives that would reduce the size of state government and the demands on taxpayers. He voted against every pension reform bill that came to the House floor this year — there were at least four. He voted against closing half-empty state buildings. He voted to protect free health insurance coverage for state retirees, an enormous cost. He voted against giving public school children in Chicago the freedom to choose their schools.

If you want to know where he stands on issues, ask the lobbyists for teacher and state employee unions. Poe has accepted more than $100,000 in union money for his campaigns during his tenure in Springfield. Sure, he represents a district with many public employees. But based on his fiscal voting record, he might as well move his desk to the Democrats' side of the chamber.

Durkin, by contrast, voted for every pension reform measure that reached the House floor this year. He voted for budget cuts. He voted for the Chicago school choice bill.

Republicans are counting on a message of fiscal reform to carry their candidate for governor in 2014. All four announced GOP candidates — Bruce Rauner, Bill Brady, Dan Rutherford and Kirk Dillard — are on the campaign trail talking about the urgent need for pension reform and responsible spending.

If Poe is elected Thursday, the House GOP will directly contradict that message.

No question, Poe is respected by his peers. He is a hard-working corn and soybean farmer and, we hear, excellent barbecue chef.

But a candidate of change? No.

If the House Republicans are going to wave a white flag on fiscal reform, then they ought to get real comfortable with irrelevancy.